The current political situation we’re experiencing in this country — even around the globe, for that matter — is a reflection of how people everywhere are hurting, feeling marginalized, left behind, locked out of opportunity.
When I travel this country speaking to groups about how Truly Human Leadership has transformed Barry-Wehmiller — and is now transforming other organizations with the help of the BW Leadership Institute (now Chapman & Co. Leadership Institute, read more here) — our story resonates deeply with them. Of course, it does! Who doesn’t desire a job that offers more than a regular paycheck, but also meaning and purpose and a chance to collaborate toward a shared vision?
Our message is powerful and universal: leaders of businesses and organizations need to do a better job of creating workplaces where people feel secure, valued and cared for. If so, our workplaces could be part of the solution rather than part of the problems in today’s society.
No matter where I go, the reaction to our message is so strong that it sometimes seems that our work to bring about positive change is not having any impact.
But just when I begin to think our message about the power of great leadership is not getting heard, I meet a Truly Human Leader who is helping to build a better world through his or her company.
Like Jason Lippert, the CEO of Lippert Components, a leading supplier of components to the recreational vehicle and residential housing industries headquartered in Elkhart, Indiana (U.S.).
Lippert has 8,200 team members spread out among almost 50 facilities in the United States, Canada and Italy. Under Jason’s leadership, the company has grown tremendously over the last decade. In addition to building a sustainable business, Jason is focused on creating an environment where everybody cares about each other like family and feels valued. They offer leadership training to team members and work hard at fostering this culture in all of their facilities.
At Lippert, they place a priority on community service and recently made a public commitment to give 100,000 hours back to the communities that support their facilities. They even launched an app so all their team members could track hours easily. Inspired by Lippert’s initiative, several other companies since have gone public with their own community service commitments. Jason is hopeful that their 100,000-hour initiative will eventually result in a one- or two-million hour initiative due to more and more companies joining their efforts in the next couple of years. Jason is a very forward-thinking leader who sees how it is possible to change the world through changing the way you lead your business.
Other encouraging news is that iTunes is now distributing our award-winning documentary, based on our best-selling book "Everybody Matters," internationally. The short film, showing what is possible when you lead with people at the center of your purpose, is now subtitled in 10 languages and available in 47 territories around the world! (The film is still available in the U.S. and Canada on Amazon Video as well.) The widespread distribution of the film is another step forward toward helping business leaders see what is possible when you create an environment where everybody knows they matter.
I challenge every person reading this to forward this post to at least one person in another country and one person whose native language is not English. Let’s see how far we can push this important message together!